Step-box frame for cable railways



(No` Model.)

J. WALKER.

STEP BOX FRAME EUR CABLE RAILWAYS.l

, No. 441,455. Patented Nov. 25, I1890.n

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" f@ f W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN VALKER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

STEP-BOX FRAME FOR CABLE RAILWAYSY SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent N o. 441,455, dated November 25, 1890.

Applica-tion filed March 12, 1890. Serial No. 343,648. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WALKER, of the city of Cleveland, in the countyof Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain Improvements inStep-Box Frames for Cable Railways, of which the following is aspecification.

' The said invention relates, first, to improved means for supportingthe sheave spindle within the lower bearing-box and to a peculiarconstruction of the said supporting devices, whereby oil for lubricatingpurposes is conducted to the entire surface in contact with the toe inwhich the spindle terminates.

The said invention relates, secondly, to a peculiar construction ofthebearing-boxes for the sheave-spindle and the parts of the frame in whichthey are inclosed, whereby the said boxes when worn by the spindle maybe reversed in position in the frame and a new wearing-surfacepresented, as will hereinafter fully appear.

In the further description of the said invention which follows referenceis made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which-Figure l is an exterior side elevation of the sheave-supporting frame,the spindle, and a portion of the sheave. Fig. 2 is a top view of Fig. 1without the sheave. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the upperbearing-box, and Fig. 4 a top View of the same. Fig. 5 is a centralvertical section of the lower bearingbox, in which is shown a portion ofthe spindle, and the supporting devices for the same. Fig. 6 is a topview of Fig. 5 without the spindle. Fig. 7 is a top viewof a removableplate which forms a part of the lower bearing-box. Fig. 8 illustrates atop view and a central section of a disk on which the toe of the spindlebears, and Fig. 9 similar views of a step which holds and supports thebutton.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in all the figures.

Referring to the drawings, A and B are respectively the upper and thelower limbs of the frame, which is a forked or bifurcated structure. Theends of the limbs are provided with caps a and b andbearing-boxes C andD, in which the sheave-spindle E revolves. A portion of the sheave isdenoted by F.

These bearing-boxes are cylindrical, and preferably made of iron with aBabbitt -metal the same diameter as the seat fand a circular depressionh in its upper face. In this depression is seated a lcircularanti-friction disk t', of phosphor-bronze, free to revolve Within thedepression h, and upon this disk rests the toe H, which consists of atapering steel pin inserted in the lower end of the spindle E, as shownin Fig. 5.

The toe H may be removed from the spindle by driving a key or barthrough a hole j, which extends transversely of the spindle.

Oil for lubrication may be introduced into the bearing-boxes from theirupper ends, and to facilitate this operation and prevent loss of oil theboxes are provided with a raised circular bead la. This bead also admitsof a lm of oil being maintained on the top of the boxes; but the lowerbox, in View of its being under the sheave, is not as accessible foroiling as is the upper one. I therefore screw an oil-feed pipe into ahole Z in the plate G and lead it to some convenient point somewhatelevated above the bearing-box. This pipe is represented by a dottedline marked m. Oil introduced into this pipe passes to under the step g,whence it escapes through a channel n in and extending across the faceof the step to the space around it and thence to the interior of thebox, in which it rises around the spindle. This body of oil in thebearingbox could not find its way to the rubbing-surfaces between thetoe and disk to lubricate them without special means being provided forexposing the entire rubbing-surfaces to the oil. I therefore providethe'step g with acentral hole o and the disk t' with a throughslot p,which begins at its center and terminates near its circumference, and inaddition a notch c, which extends from the circumfer- ICO ylo

ence to a point slightly nearer the center of the disk than the outerend of the slot. Vith this arrangement oil passes up through the centralhole 0 and communicates with the slot p, which becomes filled with oil.This oil lubricates the portion of the toe-piece face inclosed Withinthe dotted line r, and the annular space around this line is lubricatedby oil which enters the notch from the circumference of the disk, andthe whole surface is therefore kept oiled.

When it is desired, the oil from the lower bearing box can be drawn oft'through a branch s of the pipe m, which is fitted with a cock denoted byt.

The wear in bearing-boxes of cable sheaveframes of this class is alwaysin the direction indicated by the arrow, the surface of the bearingwithin the cap being practically not touched by the spindle. In view ofthis fact I make the bearing-boxes reversible in position within theframe and provide each box with a key or feather u, which is held in adepression w therein. I further provide the frame proper and the capwith key-seats a', into either one of which the key u will enter.

W`hen the apparatus is Iirst built and placed in operation, thejournal-boxes are placed so as to bring the keys in, say, the frameproper, and after the Babbitt lining has become Inaterially worn theirposition is reversed and the keys placed in the seats in the caps. Withthis change a new bearing-Surface is presented to the spindle.

I claim as my inventionl. In a step-box, the combination, with a fixedstep having a depression and a perforation for the passage of alubricant from its lower surface, of a revoluble disk seated in saiddepression, substantially as specified.

2. In a frame for the purpose described, the combination of asheave-spindle and a support for the same,which consists of acentrallyperforated fixed step, a revoluble disk having a slot whichreaches from its center to near the periphery, and a notch which extendsfrom the periphery to a point somewhat nearer the center than the outerend of the slot, whereby oil introduced to the central hole in the stepand to the circumference of the disk has access to the entirerubbing-surface of the spindle and disk, substantially and for thepurpose specified.

3. In a frame for the purpose described,the lower bearing-box for thesheave-spindle, having a bottom cap with a raised seat, which iscentrally perforated and provided with a diametrically-situated channel,combined with a ixed step on the said raised seat, having a circulardepression in its upper face and a revoluble disk situated in the saiddepression, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

JOI-IN VALKER.

Witnesses:

J. W. SMITH, Z. M. HUBBELL.

